Only seconds away from going to the penalty kick phase, Caddo Magnet’s Ric Linder scored on a counter attack in a 1-0 Division I playoff victory at Northshore.

The loss was a disappointing end for the Panthers, who started the season 4-7-1, and then won seven of their last eight matches heading into the playoffs. Northshore (11-9-1) rallied for a second place finish in District 6-I, behind champion St. Paul’s.

“From the very first second the ball was put in play, it was a good effort by both teams,” said Northshore coach Ryan Lazaroe. “I personally thought we dominated a majority of the match, but that’s the way it falls. You can dominate and still lose.”

Caddo Magnet (14-11), from Shreveport, showed no ill affects from the drive which took them almost six hours to reach Slidell, battling, step for step, for long and free balls. They also showed quickness and agility on defense, taking away short passes in the middle of the field, not allowing any sustained possessions for much of the time.

There was a 10-minute stretch in the middle of the half where the Panthers had great difficulty in getting the ball across midfield, and it almost cost them on a free kick by Cameron Kadkhodai, but the ball scooted just wide to the left.

The Panthers were getting their share of chances close to the goal, with a pair of headers missing by inches. Near the end of the first half, Ralph Price lofted a well-placed free kick from the left sideline to the right side of the goal where J.B. Bonura shot barely past the left.

Price threatened again in the second half when he banged a shot off the bar on the left side of the goal with no distance to spare between the net and Mustang keeper John Keene. But, the strategy was clear and Northshore was intent on taking more shots to try and generate offense.

The first overtime period featured opportunities for each team, but as time wound down in the second 10-minute overtime, one miscue on defense proved to be the undoing for the Panthers and allowed Linder’s goal.

“It was unfortunate, but we made one mistake and it cost us,” Lazaroe said. “When we lost 13 seniors last year, a lot of people thought we wouldn’t even make it to the playoffs. To finish second in a tough district like we did and make it to the playoffs when no one else believed in us was a huge accomplishment for us.”